Welcome!

This research study captures the views and experiences of tenants, residents and installers involved in the Social Housing Decarbonisation Fund.

The Government’s Social Housing Decarbonisation Fund is aimed at improving the comfort and wellbeing of social housing tenants and residents in England by improving the energy performance of their homes. The Social Housing Decarbonisation Fund provides support to landlords to install energy saving measures such as insulation and other measures that can make homes more energy efficient.

If you are a tenant or resident, please follow the link above for information for tenants/residents.

If you are or have been involved in the installation of energy saving measures such as insulation or other measures to make homes more energy efficient, please follow the link for information for installers.

If you have general questions about the research, please follow the link for general FAQs.

Information for tenants/residents taking part in the research

Your landlord is interested in making sure your home is warm and affordable to heat. They have therefore been working with the Government to ensure they can access resources and support to make improvements to your home. The Government’s Social Housing Decarbonisation Fund provides support to social housing landlords to install energy saving measures such as insulation and other measures that can make your home more energy efficient.

We’re carrying out research to understand the views and experiences of social housing tenants and residents like you.

The Social Housing Decarbonisation Fund and this research are being funded by the Department for Energy Security and Net Zero. If your household has been selected to take part, you will initially receive an invitation letter in the post or via email inviting you to complete a survey. These communications will be sent by the survey administrator, IFF Research.

Why haven't I received a survey invitation and how do I get one?

The survey is being sent to a random selection of those who have received or will receive energy saving measures through the Social Housing Decarbonisation Fund. To ensure the survey is valid, IFF Research cannot send the survey to people who have not already been selected to take part.

Why is this research taking place?

This research has been designed to gather information from tenants and residents whose homes have received or will receive energy saving measures funded by the Social Housing Decarbonisation Fund. The aim is to help the Government understand the views and experiences of social housing tenants and residents.

This research involves surveys and interviews which will include questions about a range of issues, such as questions about your living situation, your experience of having insulation or other energy saving measures installed in your home, and the impact of these works.

Why have I been invited to take part?

You will have been invited because your home has been (or will be) selected by your landlord to receive energy saving measures funded by the Social Housing Decarbonisation Fund. You may have also been invited to participate in the survey if you were asked about receiving energy saving measures funded by the Social Housing Decarbonisation Fund, but decided not to proceed.

Why should I take part in the study?

The more voices we hear, the better this research study will be. We know that each tenant’s or resident’s experience of the Social Housing Decarbonisation Fund is unique, and your views are therefore very important to us. What we find out is used to inform policy and make a difference to the lives of tenants and residents in England.

As a thank you, we will send a £10 shopping voucher to each household that takes part in the survey. The voucher will be sent via email, which will include instructions for how to claim it. If you do not have your own, or cannot access an email address, you will have the option to receive the shopping voucher by post.

You may also be invited to take part in a follow-up one-to-one interview. Those who take part in a follow-up interview will receive an additional £40 shopping voucher.

Do I have to take part in the study?

Taking part is voluntary and you do not have to answer any questions you don’t want to. It’s up to you to take part in this research study, but we hope you will as your views will help to make this study even better. See “Why should I take part in the study”?

I have received an invitation letter asking me to complete a survey. What should I do?

Please either scan the QR code in your invitation letter or go to our website at www.iffresearch.com/shdf2 to take part in the survey. To begin the survey, you will be asked to enter your unique reference number which is shown in the top right of your letter.

 

Can I take part if I can't complete the survey online?

Yes. IFF Research will give you a call to see if you would like to complete the survey over the telephone. There is nothing you need to do if you would like to complete the survey over the phone. If you would prefer not to receive a phone call, please email us at SHDF@iffresearch.com or via telephone at 0808 169 9381.

What should I do if I haven’t received my shopping voucher?

Please contact SHDF@iffresearch.com or via telephone at 0808 169 9381 if you have not received your shopping voucher but were expecting one. If you have it available, please provide your unique reference number shown in the top right of your invitation letter when contacting us. If not, please provide your full name and email address.

How do I redeem my shopping voucher online?

To redeem your shopping voucher online, please follow the steps below:

  1. You will receive an email to say that you have been issued a voucher. Please select ‘Click to redeem voucher’.
  2. When you click on the link, you will be taken to a page where you will need to enter your email address and then press ‘continue’.
  3. You will then be taken to a page where you can create your account. Please enter your details, then tick the terms and conditions and privacy policy box before pressing ‘save and continue’.
  4. You will then be asked to check your inbox to confirm your email address.
  5. Once you have received the email, please press ‘click here to login’.
  6. You can now select the retailer you wish to receive a voucher for.
  7. Once selected, scroll down and tick the box to confirm your choice, then press ‘confirm’.
  8. Click ‘View voucher’. You can now access your voucher and can spend it.

If you selected the option to receive the voucher by post, you will be sent a physical voucher that can be spent in a range of high street shops.

You can ask a relative, friend, or a carer to help if you are having trouble claiming your voucher. If you are still having trouble, please contact us at SHDF@iffresearch.com or via telephone at 0808 169 9381.

How have IFF Research got my contact details?

Your details were sent to us by your landlord or Housing Association, as part of the process of signing you up to have the energy efficiency measures installed at your home. The project team working on this research will store your details securely, and will not allow them to be used for any purpose outside this research project.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

What will you ask me about?

Selected tenants and residents will be asked to complete a survey and some tenants and residents will also be invited to take part in a follow-up one-to-one interview.

The survey and interviews will ask you a range of questions relating to your home and your experience of the Social Housing Decarbonisation Fund. For example:

• Understanding your living situation, for example: what type of flat or house do you live in?
• Understanding how you heat your home, for example: how easy or difficult you find keeping your home warm?
• Your experience of having insulation or other energy saving measures installed in your home, for example: how satisfied are you with the work that was carried out? How did your landlord keep you updated on the works?
• The impact of having energy saving measures carried out in your home / development, for example: how has the work impacted the way you heat your home? Has it made it cheaper to heat your home?

How long will the survey take to complete?

The survey should take between 15 and 20 minutes to complete.

 

 

I've lost my unique reference number needed to complete the survey online. Where can I find this?

You can contact us at SHDF@iffresearch.com or via telephone at 0808 169 9381 and we will try to help locate your reference number. Alternatively, if you do not complete the survey and do not contact us to opt out of the research, we will send you a reminder email with these details included. The unique reference number will be printed in the top right of the email.

Can I take a break part way through completing the survey online?

Yes, you can take a break anytime by clicking ‘pause’ in the survey. You will be able to re-enter the survey by following the instructions on your invitation letter (or see ‘I have received an invitation letter asking me to complete a survey. What should I do?’). This will take you back to where you left off.

Can I complete the survey in another language?

If you or someone else needs to complete the survey in another language, please contact us at SHDF@iffresearch.com or via telephone at 0808 169 9381 and we will do our best to arrange a telephone interview in the language that you require.

Who should complete the survey if there are two or more people aged 16 or over in my household?

The survey should be completed by the person(s) who received the invitation, or by another member of the household who is aged 16 or over and was living in the property when the works were carried out. Only one survey can be completed per household, and one shopping voucher will be available per household as a thank you for completing the survey.

Do I have to answer all the questions?

All the questions in the survey will require a response in order to allow you to continue – however, you can select ‘prefer not to say’ for any questions that you do not feel comfortable answering, or ‘don’t know’ if you are unsure about the answer.

Who should I contact if I don't want to take part?

Please reach out to us at SHDF@iffresearch.com or or via telephone at 0808 169 9381 if you would not like to take part in this research. We will remove your contact details and ensure that you are not contacted about this research again. If you have it available, please provide your unique reference number shown in the top right of your invitation letter when contacting us. If not, please provide your full name and email address.

How will my responses be stored?

All data will be held securely within IFF Research’s secure drives and will be retained for 3 months after the end of the research study, i.e. until November 2026, and then securely destroyed.

More about our data protection can be found here: Privacy policy | IFF Research

Who will see my survey responses?

The project team working on this research will see your individual survey responses and these will be used for research and analysis purposes only.

Survey responses shared amongst this team may be linked to address data.

No information that will identify you as an individual will be shared in the public domain, or with the Department for Energy Security and Net Zero or with anyone outside the project team.

 

How will my responses be used?

The project team will use responses for research and analysis purposes only.

Responses from all individuals taking part in the study will be reported anonymously, meaning your responses to questions are presented in a way that they will not directly identify you.

You can also read our Privacy Policy here: Privacy policy | IFF Research

 

Who is the project team working on this research?

The project team conducting this research is formed of a small number of individuals from the following organisations:

I want to know more about the fund or works happening in my area

Please contact your social housing landlord in the first instance to find out more about what is happening in your area. If you would like to learn more about the Social Housing Decarbonisation Fund more generally, please visit the Government website.

Why did you ask for my smart meter information?

As a part of the research, our research partners University College London (UCL) wish to use smart meter data to analyse how effective the installations have been at improving energy efficiency. We can do this by linking your smart meter to the national smart meter systems via n3rgy. If you agree, we will collect this data between September 2022 to September 2025 on a weekly basis. We will use these findings to contribute to the findings in reports that will be published in 2026 on gov.uk. The only organisation with access to the data will be University College London (UCL). The data will be recorded anonymously and there will be no way to link the data or findings in the reports back to you.

How will you use my smart meter data if I consent to sharing it?

By providing consent to sharing your smart meter data, University College London (UCL) will be given permission to receive your smart meter data through the national smart meter systems via n3rgy from between September 2022 to September 2025 on a weekly basis. This will provide UCL with:

  • Energy consumption & generation information for both gas and electricity (where available).
  • Energy tariff information containing information of the price you are charged for energy consumed.
  • Information identifying the energy meter (number, location, type).

Your personal data will be recorded anonymously and there will be no way to link the findings in the reports back to you.

How can I withdraw from the smart meter data sharing?

At any point before the final report is published in 2026, you will be able to ask to withdraw your data from the research by:

Who are n3rgy?

n3rgy data service ( https://data.n3rgy.com ) is used by IFF research to interface with the national smart meter systems in order to collect, store, manage and share with University College London your Smart Meter data. This service uses the Smart Energy Code (https://smartenergycodecompany.co.uk/) Party credentials and Party ID of its parent, N3RGY LIMITED, incorporated and registered in England and Wales with the company number 11203504 whose registered office is at 4 Ovington Drive, Fleet, United Kingdom, GU51 1DF.

Information for installers and supply chain

The Social Housing Decarbonisation Fund is aimed at improving the comfort and wellbeing of social housing tenants and residents by improving the energy performance of their homes in England. The Social Housing Decarbonisation Fund provides support to landlords and Housing Associations to install energy saving measures such as insulation and other measures that can make homes more energy efficient.

We’re carrying out research to understand the experiences of those involved in the installation of these measures.

The Social Housing Decarbonisation Fund and this research study are being funded by the Department for Energy Security and Net Zero. Those who have been selected to take part in the study will receive a telephone call, letter or email inviting them to participate in a research interview. These communications will be sent by the survey administrator, IFF Research.

Why have I been invited to take part?

You have been involved in works funded by the Social Housing Decarbonisation Fund to improve the energy efficiency of social homes.

Why should I take part?

The more voices we hear, the better this research study will be. This research will help inform the design of any future funds in your industry. Participating will provide Government with the information of how future funds could work best for businesses like yours. We know that those involved in installing energy saving measures such as insulation or helping plan such works will have had different experiences of the Social Housing Decarbonisation Fund and therefore hearing your views is very important to us.

What will I be asked?

We will ask you a range of questions relating to your experience of delivering projects funded by the Social Housing Decarbonisation Fund. We will also ask you about your experience of working with other people involved in the fund and the wider retrofit market.

General FAQs

Why is this research important?

This research is important as it will help ensure that Government funding to support social housing landlords improve the energy efficiency of social housing is efficient and cost-effective. In turn, this will help the Government and landlords to:

• Improve the comfort and wellbeing of those living in social housing
• Reduce energy bills for those living in social housing
• Reduce CO2 emissions
• Improve the energy efficiency of social homes
• Support the green economy and associated jobs

What is the Social Housing Decarbonisation Fund?

The Social Housing Decarbonisation Fund is funding that social housing providers (for example, Local Authorities and Housing Associations) in England can apply for. The money they receive is used to improve the energy performance of social homes in England – in other words, to help social homes to use less energy, which results in benefits such as lower bills and less pollution.

Who is funding the Social Housing Decarbonisation Fund?

The Social Housing Decarbonisation Fund is being funded by the Department for Energy Security and Net Zero, which used to be known as the Department for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy (BEIS).

What is the Social Housing Decarbonisation Fund research study?

The Department for Energy Security and Net Zero wants to understand whether the fund has worked well, particularly for social housing tenants and installers, and to know what could be improved. This is what the research allows us to do. To do the research, we speak to tenants and installers to hear their views on the Social Housing Decarbonisation Fund.

Who are IFF Research?

IFF Research is an independent market research agency based in the UK, that operates under the strict guidelines of the Market Research Society’s Code of Conduct, the 2018 Data Protection Act and UK General Data Protection Regulation (UK GDPR). IFF Research is conducting surveys and interviews with tenants and installers involved in the Social Housing Decarbonisation Fund on behalf of the Department for Energy Security and Net Zero. For more information about IFF Research, please visit the website.

 

Who can I contact for help?

Please contact us at SHDF@iffresearch.com or via telephone at 0808 169 9381 if you need help. If you have it available, please provide your unique reference number shown in the top right of your invitation letter when contacting us. If not, please provide your full name and email address.

 

 

How will my responses be stored?

All data will be held securely within IFF Research’s secure drives and will be retained for 3 months after the end of the research study, i.e. until November 2026, and then securely destroyed.

More about our data protection can be found here: Privacy policy | IFF Research

Who will see my survey responses?

The project team working on this research will see your individual survey responses and these will be used for research and analysis purposes only.

Survey responses shared amongst this team may be linked to address data.

No information that will identify you as an individual will be shared in the public domain or with the Department for Energy Security and Net Zero or with anyone outside the project team.

 

How will my responses be used?

The project team will use responses for research and analysis purposes only.

Responses from all individuals taking part in the study will be reported anonymously meaning your responses to questions are presented in a way that they will not directly identify you.

You can also read our Privacy Policy here: Privacy policy | IFF Research

 

Who is the project team working on this research?

The project team conducting this research is formed of a small number of individuals from the following organisations: